Salvia ‘Follett’s Folly’: A tall bushy shrub 2m -3m H from Qld with watermelon pink flowers late winter/spring.
Salvia ‘Follett’s Folly’: is the tall form of Salvia ‘Mystique’.
Flowers: are a watermelon pink and semi tubular, almost a microphylla type flower. The hood has a pale stripe down the middle of the hood which corresponds with the pale patch of the beeline around the throat area.
All lobes are the same color, except for the small pale beeline, which guides the birds, bees and other pollinating insects further into the flower.
Flowers have a long flowering period, appearing during winter, continuing throughout spring and into summer as long clusters at the end of the flowering stem.
Flowers appear in whorls of 4 flowers at regular intervals along the green stem. these are held high above the foliage to attract passing birds and insects.
Calyces: are green, ribbed with each lobe pointed and often coloured at the ends on exposed sides. Calyces will drop off if the flowers are not pollinated, leaving a green flower stem.
Leaves: are a mid green, broad lanceolate shaped with indented veins and soft crenations along the margins. Both surfaces are slightly hairy, being paler beneath.
Salvia ‘Follett’s Folly’: would seem to be a taller version of ‘Mystique’, found in Qld.
As a bushy upright plant, this tolerates both a sunny or semi shaded position, but can be frost tender.
Grow at the back of the bed, or use to screen an unsightly fence or shed or in among other shrubs to give protection.
As it flowers for most of the year, it adds a welcome splash of colour to a bank of shrubs in summer when other shrubs have finished flowering.
Take out the old stems in summer, leaving all new growth. Clean out any debris, any dead or twiggy stems. Look to the shape of the shrub for trimming and pruning. Feed and mulch well to keep the root area cool during the hot dry summer.
Propagation: Easily propagated by tip cuttings at any time of year.